Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-06-18
BIRDS OF THIS CLIM ATE.
Some Interesting Facts Concerning Birds
Furnished by a Davenport Ornitholo-

Some Interesting Facts Concerning Birds
Furnished by a Davenport Orni.holo-
gist.
The habits and characteristics of
birds frequenting the climate Of Iowa
is noted in the following from the Dav-
export Democrat:
The most complete bird record in
the state. probably. is that kept by f.
5. Ballord, president of the Davenport
National bank. 1t extends back TO 1872
and gives the date of the spring ar
rival of each migratory bird that nests
here with its characteristics. There is
u division of economic ORTHODOXY"
in the L. >. department of agriculture
ut Washington. The other lay Mr..
Ballord received u blank from the d.
vision with q letter from Hon. Norman
j. Colman, requesting that he fill it
with the information concerning the
birds of this region. And Mr.. b. has
complied to the extent of his know!-
edge.
He writes that the blue bird and
robin arrived March |, the crow black
bird on the I'd, the chipping sparrow
on the 10th and the meadow lark on
the 23d.
The April arrivals were. the golden
winged woodpecker and Phoebe on the
ID, house martin on the Sth, COW black
bird on the 10th, song sparrow on the
9th, brown thrush, yellow-breasted
woodpecker and wood thrush, on the
18th, %murmuring dove on the l4th,
chimney swallow on the 22d, house
wren and cat-bird on the Goth. red
breasted gros-beak. indigo bunting,
orchard oriole and Baltimore oriole on
the 2Sth.
The May arrivals were the thistle
bird, yellow warbler, tly-catcher and
red-winged blue birds on the lst; the
scarlet faminger and king bird on the
I'd. the night-hawk an the 9TH, the
yellOw-billed cuckoo and chewink on
the 9th, and the humming-bird on the
14th.
The list comprises thirty-one different
varieties of b~ridcs-and Mr.. Ballord
WV y 'hlPl tu'ill Wy iItli tOIlllliOi
names, rs my scientific knowledge of or
anthology is limited. / have studied but
a very few Of our birds, as | have not
the heart TO shoot them, do not have
access TO any collcction-and SO
leave out a dozen or more kinds for
want of ever common names" He
adds that his location lis about a mile
/ nd "a ,tta n "a fvn,,. thn ,.aAr l,al- 90,
the bluffs in the city, surrounded by
large yards and gardens, where the
yards have been protected TO- years.
50 we have IN unusual number with
us during the season. Often some rare
ones make us a visit. My observance
goes to show that the birds first make
their appearance near the water
courses, so that the record viii average
Later than rs if near those locations.'
In noting the characteristics of birds,
Mr.. Ballord says that ''thc crow, black
bird and chipping sparrow are very
tame and lend great assistance III keep
ing down the June bugs The red.
breasted gro. beak sis comparatively
new tothiS place, but very abundant.
have seen them feeding on the larvm OF
the potato bug" The thistle bird, has
summercd on the place rs a large
colony for years, feeding on the seeds
of the elm and birck." '.lIavc seer
the night hawk eat the tent catcrpillars
and destroy their nests; probably plant.
in the brush and thickcts away from
town" All the birds named are mark.
cd common excepting the scarlet
laminger and the chewnk. Al breed
near the place.